Looms



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United States Pan-:nY

LooMs George W. Dunham, Wilton, Conn. (Box 148, Westport, Conn.)

Filed May 22, 1959, Ser. No. 815,149

18 Claims. (Cl. 139-126) plete mechanism `is mounted upon each end ofthe lay-` beam. These mechanisms are mirror likenesses of one anotherand function similarly in different cycles of the loom with one ofthemechanisms serving to insert a lling thread from one side of the loomand the other mechanism serving to insert a filling thread from anothersource at the other side of the loom.

Among the objects ofthe invention is to provide improved projectingmechanisms operational at high speeds to effect the insertion and thecomplete placement of weft threads, including the release of a threadfrom a pilot received at one end of the laybeam, the pick-up of anotherthread by a pilot on the fly from the same end of the laybeam, theautomatic control of a thread-braking or tensioning device to releaserestraint on a thread during the flight of a pilot from a projectingmechanism and to apply restraint to the free running of the thread justbefore the pilot is received at the other end of the laybeam, theholding and cutting of an inserted thread between a selvage edge and theprojecting mechanism from which it has been carried across the loom, andthe positioning and holding of a cut end of the thread for pick-up bythe pilot when the pilot is again projected from the same projectingmechanism.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic ofthis invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appendedhereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and themanner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood byreferring to the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a back elevation of the left hand projecting mechanism showingthe various elements in position as the lay is moving backwardly at theapproximate moment of projection of a pilot therefrom;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the projecting mechanism in the condition shown inFig. l;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the projecting mechanism in ythecondition shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the inboard end of the left hand projector asviewed from the center of the loom;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the back of the projector with the variouselements disposed in. positions in which they are when the lay is at thefront-center position correspondingly only to the positions of the crankat 0 or at 720;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the back of the projector with theivariou'selementsA disposed in positions in which they 2 are when the lay is atthe back-centerposition corresponding only to the position of the crankat Fig. 7 is an enlarged verticalsection on the longitudinal axis of theinboard end of the projecting mechanism with the positions of thevarious elements corresponding to their positions as illustrated in Fig.l;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the inboard end of the projecting mechanism asviewed from the left of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on line 9-9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. l0 is a sectional view along stepped horizontal planes generallyindicated by 10-10 in Fig. 7;

Fig. l1 is a horizontal section on line 11-11 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a detail illustrating the open position of the shears;

Fig. 13 illustrates the releasing -action which frees a filling threadfromV a pilot that has come to the projecting mechanism from the otherside of the loom;

Fig. 14 is an elevational view of the mechanism for controlling theoperation of the thread-releasing device as seen from the front of theprojecting mechanism with th lay at front-center (0 or 720);

Fig. 15 is illustrative of the position of the controlling mechanismshown in Fig. 14 with the lay at back-center (180 l;

Fig. 16 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the cocking fork online 16-16 of Fig. l.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will beidentified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended tobe as generic in -their application as the art will permit.

ln the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification,certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for purposes ofexplanation, but it will be understood that the details may be modifiedin various respects without departure from the broad aspect of theinvention.

Referring first to Fig. 4, the laybeam 10 is attached by i bolts 11 to apair of lay swords, the left hand one of which is illustrated at 12. Thelay swords are pivotally mounted on a shaft 13 which is supported inbrackets, such as the bracket 14 which is secured to the left hand loomside 15. The laybeam is reciprocated by the simultaneous movements ofthe lay swords. Each sword is reciprocated by a connecting rod` 16having its rear end pivotally connected to a crank 17 which is carriedby the crankshaft 18 of the loom. The crankshaft 18 is mounted inbearings 19, one at either side of the loom.

A reed `20 is clamped to the swords and the laybeam. A plurality ofpilot guide plates 21 are mounted spacially in assembled relation on abar 22 which is clamped to the laybeam. These guide plates have notcheswhich, together with the reed, define a raceway across the front of thereed fora pilot 23. The guide plates 21 are moved from and to below thefell of the fabric and enter between the warps as the laybeam isreciprocated. 24 is a conventional temple at the left edge of a fabricbeing woven.

Two cycles of the loom, or two revolutions of the crankshaft arerequired to complete all of the operations of a single projectingmechanism. Since all of the operations at one side of the loom areduplicated at the other side of the loom at intervals of 360 by therespective projecting mechanisms, a full disclosure of the invention isattainable from a description of either one of the projectingmechanisms. The following description is with respect to the mechanismat the left side of the loom and its operation during the movement ofthe lay from front-center (0) to back-center (180) and then forwardly tofront-center (360) during a first cycle which is designated herein forconvenience as an odd-numbered cycle, and then to back-center (540) andto front-center (720) during a second or an even-numbered cycle as thecrankshaft makes two revolutions.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the projecting mechanism "2,971,540 jj" 4Y i includes a body member 25 having legs 26 and 27 bolted to thelaybeam 10 by any suitable means such as bolts 28, 29. The inboard endof the body member 25 provides a box 30 into which a pilot is receivedand from which it is projected. All of the operations of the projectingmechanism are effected through the medium of Va movable member in theform of a rod 31 which is carried by the laybeam. The rod 31 is slidablymounted in guiding bores through the legs 26 and 27 of the body member.The, slide rod 31 moves inwardly (as indicated by the arrows 32, Figs. 1and 3), or towards the inboard end of the projecting device, as the laymoves backwardly, and outwardly or towards the outboard end of theprojecting device and of the laybeam as the lay moves forwardly in thereturn stroke of each revolution of the crank 17. The slide rod 31 isshown in its most outboard position in Fig. when the crank is atfront-center, and in its most inboard position in Fig. 6 when the crankis at back-center.

' The slide rod 31 carries a block 33 which is pinned lto it by a screw34. A pair of lugs 35, Figs. 2 and 3, extend from the front side of theblock and are pivotally connected to an adjustable link 36 by a pin 37.The other end of the link 36 is pivotally connected to an arm 38 whichis fastened to the upper end of a shaft 39 journalled in a bracket 40mounted on the laybeam and secured thereto by bolts 41. The lower end ofthe shaft 39 has fixed thereto a lever arm 42 whose free end ispivotally connected to a link 43 which is swivelled to a stationary post44, Fig. 4. The post is attached to and stands upwardly from a plate 45bolted to the bracket 14. The bracket 14 is solidly attached to theloom-side 15 by bolts 46. The articulated arrangement is such that asthe lay moves backwardly, the slide rod 31 moves toward the inboard endof the projecting device and as the laybeam moves forwardly the sliderod moves toward the outboard end of the projecting device. Theprojecting device is viewed from the back of the loom in Figs. l, 5 and6. In Fig. 5, the parts of the projecting device are illustrated at thebeginning of the rst cycle or at zero degrees, and in Fig. 6 the partsare illustrated in their positions when the lay is at backctnter or at180 degrees of the first cycle. As illustrated in Fig. l, the variousparts are shown with the crank at about 85 f or at just before theprojection of the pilot. The screw 34 carried by the block 33 and pinnedto the slide rod 31 passes through a hole in a link 50 and carries thelink with it as the slide rod is reciprocated.

A tripping slide member 51 is sandwiched between the link 50 and therear face of the block 33. The slide member 51 has a tripping cam 52projecting laterally therefrom to engage and operate an arm 54 of atripping lever by which a series of operations is initiated, includingthe projection of a pilot, as will appear more fully hereinafter.. Theslide member 51 has a laterally extending ear 55 which has-an openingsurrounding the slide rod 31 and providing an edge which serves as asupport and pivot for the inboard end of the slide member. The outboardend of the slide member 51 has a cam slot 56 which is engaged by aroller 57 on the stem vof the screw 34. This cam slot is so shaped as tomove the outboard end of the slide member 51 upwardly with respect tothe screw 34 to place the cam 52 in position for actuating the lever 54and to move the cam downwardly and into position for avoiding contactwith the lever 54, under conditions which will be explained in moredetail hereinafter. During the upward and downward movements of theslide member 51 and the cam 52, the slide member pivots on a bearingprovided between iiange 55 and the slide rod.

A post 58 is fixed to and extends laterally from the slide member 51 andpasses through a slot 59 in the link 50 whereby movement of the link maycontinue after the longitudinal movement of the slide member 51 has beeninterrupted in either direction. The slide member 51 is made to travellongitudinally with the link 50 through limited distances by frictionalengagement between the link and the slide member whenever thelongitudinal motion of the slide member is not interrupted. Thefrictional force is established by washers on the post 58, including aspring washer 60, which are disposed between a nut 61 and the'link 50.The inboard movement of the slide member 51 is Ilimited by a fixed stopl62 which is secured to the underside of the pilot box by a pair ofbolts`63. The outboard movement of the slide member 51 is limited by apivoted stop 64 whenever a pilot is contained in the pilot box and thelay is moving toward front-center. This stopping action normally occursas the slide rod 31 and the slide member 51 are moving outwardly duringthe second cycle of the loom after the pilot has been received from theright side of the loom. The pivoted stop 64 is pivoted on a pin 65 andit is biased upwardly out of the path of the'ilange 55 by a spring 66when the pilot 23 is not in position in the pilot box. A spring member68 (Fig. 7) is pivotally mounted on a pin 69 and is in constantengagement with the pivoted stop 64. When a pilot is present in thepilot box the spring 68 is depressed by the pilot and forces the stopdownwardly against the action of the spring 66 and into the path oftravel of the flange 5S. The pivoted stop 64 is never effective to stopan inward movement of the slide member 51.

The striker element or plunger '70 by which the pilot 23 is projected ismounted for sliding movement within a bore in the body member 25. Theinboard end of the plunger 70 slides through a sleeve 72, Fig. 11, andthe outboard end of the plunger is provided with a cylindrical head 73which is guided in a sleeve '74 contained in the bore. The head carriesa pin 75 extending in diametrically opposite directions through slots 76and 77 at the back and front, respectively, of the body member 25.

The pin 75 is engaged by the lingers 7 8 and 79 (Figs. l, 3 and 16) of acooking4 fork 80 whenever the plunger `is to be restored to cockedposition. A yieldable checkplate 81, secured to the front side of theprojector mechanism by screws 82, engages one end of the pin 75 andholds the plunger is retracted position until it is propelled therefromby a reduction lever 83. The inward or firing motion of the strikerelement or plunger 70 is arrested by a bumper cap 84 encircling theplunger and covering one end of a composition rubber tube 85 (Fig. 1l)whose other end is buttressed by a ring 86.

The reduction lever 83 is pivotally mounted by trunnions 8,8 journalledin a pair of standards 89, 90, extending upwardly from a cap piece 91which is secured to the body member 25 by any suitable means, such asbolts 92. The lever is actuated by energy stored in a spring 93 which issupported at one end by a cap 94 pivotally connected to the lever 83 bya shaft 95 on the lever. The spring is compressed between the cap 94 anda cap 96 at one end of a threaded stem 97 which is fastened to a fixedsupport 98 by a pair of nuts 99, 100.

The reduction lever 83 is held in its retracted position against thetension in the spring 93 by a catch 101 having a finger 102 adapted toengage a lip 103 at the free end of the lever. The residual energy ofthe spring 93 following the acceleration and projection of a pilot isabsorbed by a cushioning device 104. As illustrated in Fig. 6, thecushioning device 104 includes a hollow member 10S having a cylindricalchamber containing a resilient tube 106 of a rubber composition with adisk 107 at one end and an adapter 108 vat its other end for seating asteel cap 109. A set position of the disk 107 is determined by anadjustable screw 110 and a lock nut 111. Member is supported by abracket 112 which is fastened to the cap 91 by two of the bolts 92.

The cockng mechanism The plunger 70 and the lever 83 are retractedtogether .j tdcocltedf position'as the slide rod 31 moves outwardlyduring the forward movement of the lay immediately fol. lowing the`backward movement of the lay (Fig. l) during which the lever 83 isreleased for propelling a pilot. The plunger 70 and the lever 83 areretracted by the. U- shaped cocking fork 80 which is carried by theblock 33 on the` slide rod 31 (Figs. 1, 3, 6 and 16). The legs of thecooking fork terminate in the fingers 7S and 79, respectively, and theyare guided for vertical movement by guides 117 in the back of the blockand by guides 11S at the front of the block. The respective legs haveslots 119, 120 through which pins 121, 122 extend from the block 33. Thecocking fork is normally urged to its lowermost position by a spring114, and in this position (Figs. l, 3, and 16) the iingers 78 and 79 arebelow the level of travel of the pin 75 on the plunger head 73. Thecooking fork remains in its lowermost position except when it issupported on an elevator 123 during the latter part of the inward motionof the slide rod 31 or during the outward motion of the slide rodswhenever the lingers 78 and 79 engage the pin 75 to retract the plunger.

The elevator 123 is slidably supported in a guide 124 for movementparallel to the direction of movement of the slide rod 31, and itsinward movement is yieldably resisted by a spring 125. As the slide rodmoves inwardly (Fig. l), the cooking fork 80 comes into contact with thecam surface 126 and is raised onto the elevator 123 as the elevatorslides a limited distance against the action of the spring 125.

During the beginning of the outward movement of the slide rod theiingers 78 and 79 engage the ends of the pin 75 on the plunger 70 andthe elevator 123 returns to its starting or idle position. The frictionon the fork 80 due to the reaction of the projection spring 93 issufficient to hold the fork inA engagement with the pin 75 until thereduction lever 83 is engaged and latched in cocked position by thecatch 101.

As the plunger 70 moves outwardly slightly beyond its cocked position,the free end 103 of the lever 83 engages a projection 127 on the catch101 and rocks the catch and a latch member 147 counterclockwise tolatched position (Fig. 5). The finger 102 on the catch engages the lip103 and holds the lever 83 retracted or in cocked position. As willappear more fully hereafter, the catch 161 and the latch member 147together serve as a detent device which. is restrained against releaseto the action of a spring 146 by a trigger member 144. The head 73 ofthe plunger is held in contact with the lever 83 by the check plate 81on the front side of the projector body 25, Fig. 3. As the pressure fromthe spring 93 is relieved from the cocking fork 8d the fork drops tov-below the level of the path of travel of the pin 75.

The projection and retraction of the plunger occurs during an odd cycleof the loom during which the slide rod 31 moves inwardly and thenoutwardly. During the next or even cycle the cooking fork 80 is againraised by the elevator 123 during the inward movement of the slide rod,but as the slide rod moves outwardly the cocking fork drops to itslowermostposition upon leaving the elevator because the plunger had beenretracted during the previous odd cycle and is therefore not in positionfor the fingers i8 and 79 to engage the pin 75. The fork remains loweredwhen the plunger is next released to propel the pilot during thebackward movement of the lay in the following odd cycle of the loom.

The cooking and tripping actions of the slide rod 31 and of` thetripping slide 51 are carried out in a manner substantially similar tothe functioning of corresponding members disclosed in my copendingUnited States application Serial No. 588,152, tiled May 29, 1956, and4granted March 15, 1960, as Patent No. 2,928,428.

The tripping mechanism As` shown in Figs. 7, 1o and 11, the pilot 23 isin the pilot boxin home position and the various elements of 6 theprojecting mechanism are disposed' in the positions they assumeimmediately preceding the projection of the pilot from the box. Thesepositions correspond with the instantaneous positions of the elements asillustrated in Fig. l. Referring first to Fig. ll., one end of the pilotis received in a ring 129 of wear-resisting material which, togetherwith a cushion member 130, is contained in a cylindrical bumper cup 131.The rebound of the pilot upon arriving from the other side of the loomis prevented by a latch 132 which is pivotally mounted at 133 and isnormally pressed by a spring 134 to extend into the pilot box and intothe path of the oncoming pilot. After the latch has been brushed asideby the pilot the spring 134 pivots the latch into engagement with theshoulder of a recess 135 in the side of the pilot and the latch preventsthe pilot from rebounding .from the box.

As shown in Fig. l1, the latch 132 has been disen-V gaged from the pilotand the pilot is free for projection. The disengagement has been eiectedby the camming action of a latch cam 136. The latch cam is in the formof an arm which depends from the hub of a lever 137 as best shown inFigs. l and 9. The hub of lever 137 is keyed to a rockshaft 13S which isjournalled in a pair of standards 139, 140, rising from the gib 141overlying the pilot chamber in the pilot box.

The lever 137 is pivotally connected at 142 to an adjustable link 143whose outboard end is pivotally connected to a trigger member 144 whichis loose on a shaft 145 and is biased to turn counterclockwise (Fig. l)by a. spring 146 connecting between the trigger member and a latchmember 147. The latch member is secured to a shaft 148 to which thecatch 101 is also secured. The cocked position of the trigger member 144is as illustrated in Fig. 5. At the beginning of an odd cycle with thelay at front-center (Fig. 5), a projection 15! on the latch member 147is engaged in a notch 151 of the trigger member 144 and the two membersare held in engaged relationship by the tension in the spring 146. Thetrigger member 144 is thereby held in cocked position until it istripped. v

The spring 146 acts to rotate the latch member 147 and the catch 101clockwise to release the lever 83 and effect a projection of the pilotwhen the latch member 147 is released from engagement in the notch 151as the trigger member 144 is rotated clockwise from cocked position(Fig. 5) by an arm 152 and a pin 153 which is carried by the arm andextends into an arcuate slot 154 in the trigger member. The arm 152 andthe arm 54 are fast on the shaft 145 and together constitute thetripping lever. The pin and slot connection permits the lever arms 54,152 to turn counterclockwise (Fig. 1) after the cam 52 has passed by andfreed` the arm 54. The counterclockwise movement of the shaft 145effects a braking action on the filling thread as wiil appearhereinafter. A

As prevously explained, the plunger 711 and the reduction lever 83 arereleased to project a pilot when the arm 54 is rotated clockwise by lthecam 52 on the slide member 51 as the slide member moves inwardly, Fig.l, during an odd cycle. The tripped position of the tripping mechanism,including the catch 101, the latch member 147, trigger member 144, andthe tripping lever 54, 152, is illustrated in Fig. 6.

The pilot and the filling thread Ilhe pilot is an elongated body member,as best seen in Figs. 7 and 11, having a longitudinal groove 155extending from end to end in its top side and in which two similarthread grippers are located. These grippers are generally indicated at156 and 157. The grippers face each other so that either gripper mayserve as a trailing gripper to pick up a thread, depending upon thedirection of projection of the pilot across the loom. Each gripperincludes a hook 158 and a resiliently yieldable plate member 159 whichis pivoted at 160 and is 161 to engage a thread between the hook and theplate. As best seen in Fig. 11, the plate member 1591s substantially aswide as the groove 155, and the hook 158 is relatively narrow so as topermit the fingers 162 and 163 of a thread-positioning element 164 (Fig.7) to pass at either side of the hook as a pilot is projected. Thefingers 162 and 163 are moved into the groove 155 to depress a threadinto the groove and into position for being picked up by the gripper 157which is the trailing gripper in respect to the projecting mechanismshown in Fig. 11. The operation and control of thread-positioningelement 164 will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

The cycling of the warps is preferably substantially as follows. At thefront-center position of the lay of each cycle the shed of warps isfully open and the shed remains open as the crank rotates through 180.The shed starts to close at back-center and is fully closed when thecrank reaches 270. The warps reverse and the shed opens during theremainder of the cycle as the lay returns to front-center. In thecycling described a filling thread inserted in either direction is boundin the cloth by the changing warps and beat-up before another thread ispicked up by the pilot and inserted in the opposite direction.

The thread 167 fed to the left hand projector is supplied from a package168 and is drawn across the loom by the pilot during each odd cycle.After insertion the tail end of the inserted thread is clamped and cutby a holding and shearing mechanism generally identified as 169. The cutend 170, which is to become the leading end of the next thread to beinserted from the left, is held by the holding and shearing mechanism,as indicated in Fig. 7, while another filling thread is inserted in ashed from the opposite direction as the pilot is returned to the leftside of the loom during an even cycle. The end 170 is held until it ispicked up by the pilot in the next following odd cycle.

The diagonal disposition of the thread as indicated in Fig. 11 isbrought about as the result of the forward and downward movement of thepilot box past and below the fell of the cloth as the lay approachesfrontcenter (360) towards the end of an odd cycle. As this action occursthe reed meets and advances the weft toward the fell and the connectinglentgh of thread which extends through the box to the weft is displacedcrosswise of the box under the fingers 162, 163, of the raised threadpositioner 164. TheA downward movement of the box causes the portion ofthe thread extending from the weft to move upwardly relatively to thebox and into the open jaws of the holding and shearing mechanism 169which subsequently close on the thread before the lay arrives atfront-center at the end of an odd cycle. The holding and'shearingmechanism will be described more fully hereinafter.

The cut end 170 is at the leading end of the thread 167 which comes fromthe supply package 168, and passes through a thread-breaking andtensioning mechanism 171 and a break detector 172 at the front side ofthe projector (Fig. 3), and then through a plurality of guides such asat 173, 174, 175 and into a slot 176 in the pilot box directly below thegib 141 (Figs. 9 and 11), and across the pilot beneath the fingers 162,163 of the thread positioner 164 to the holding Vand shearing mechanism169 by which the end 170 is held.

Brake mechanism shaft `to which the arms'54 and 152 are secured at theback of the projector. A spring 184 (Fig. 3) tends to raise the arm 183and at the same time lower the arm 54 towards a stop 185.

A second arm 186 of the lever 179 carries a pin 187 which is engageablewith the free end of a leaf spring 188 whose other end is anchored to apost 189 on the panel 178. The thread 167 extends between the leafspring 188 and a stud 190 and is adapted to be engaged between thespring and the stud whenever the arm 186 and the pin 187 are loweredfrom the position shown in Figs. l and 3, to the position shown in Figs.5 and 6. When in lowered position the spring 188 presses the threadagainst the stud 190 and exerts restraint on the free movement of thethread. The pressure of the spring on the thread and on the stud 190 isadjustable by a screw 191.

The arm 186 is rocked counterclockwise (Fig. 1) to raise the spring fromthe stud 190 when the arms 54 and 183 are rocked clockwise by the cam52. This action occurs immediately preceding the projection of a pilot,at which time the thread is relieved of restraint by the spring and studand is freed to be carried across the loom by the pilot. The timing ofthe brake is such that it is on or applied at all times except from justbefore the pilot is projected to just before the pilot has arrived inthe projector at the other side of the loom.

Automatic stoppage on failure of jlling thread Should the thread fail orbreak at any time `the loom will be stopped by a safety switch 193, Fig.3. The thread extends through a pair of loops of a wire 194 which issecured to the panel 178 at 195. The looped end 196 of a lever 197 isnormally supported by the thread against the action of a spring 198. Inthis position the lever 197 prevents the .switch arm 199 from operatingthe switch to stop the loom.

The switch arm 199 is mounted on a pivot 200 and is biased intoengagement with a stop 201 by a spring 202. The switch arm carries aflexible blade 203 which is adapted to be engaged by a stud 204 on thearm 205 of the lever 179 each time the lever 179 is rockedcounterclockwise (Fig. 3) by the spring 184 through the action of arm183. if the thread is continuous when this action occurs, the blade 203flexes because the switch arm 199 is prevented from rotating by thelever 197, but if the thread is broken the lever 197 will have beenrocked away from the switch arm and the switch arm will oper ate theswitch and stop Vthe loom. It is to be noted that the arm 205 of thelever 179 is in positon to tension the spring element 203 whenever thearm 183 is raised and the arm 54 is in its lowermost position againstthe stop (Figs. 5 and 6).

Positioning of thread for pick-up The mechanism for depressing a threadinto the groove in the top side of the pilot for pickup by a trailinggripper includes the thread-positioning element or depressor 164 (Figs.7, 8, 9 and l0). The thread-positioner 164 is carried by a hub 207.which is fixed to a shaft 20,8. The shaft is journalled in a bearing209 in the standard 139 (Fig. 10) and in bearings 210 and 211 inside ofa hollow shaft 212 which is rotatable in a bearing 213 in the standard140. The hub 207 also carries a finger 214 (Fig. 7) having a surface 215adapted to be engaged by a cam 216 which is fast to the rockshaft 138. Atorsion spring 217 biases the thread-positioning element 164 downwardly(counterclockwise, Fig. 7). The linger 214 contacts the cam 216 when theprojecting mechanism is in cocked condition (Fig. 5) and the cam 216 isremoved from engagement with the finger 214 during the tripping actionof the projecting mechanism (Figs. 1 and 7) as will be explained morefully hereinafter.

The shaft 208 also has fixed to it a finger 218 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6)having a Vcam surface 219 which cooperates with a pin 22) on an arm of abellI crank le'v'er'221 (Fig. l) to effect clockwise rotation o f theshaft 208 to raise and hold the thread depressor 164 until the rockshaft138 and arm 136 re-assume their positions as shown in Fig. 5. The otherarm of the bell crank 221 is bolted to a cam member 222 pivotallymounted on a stud shaft 224. A friction spring 225 is located on shaft224 between a nut 226 and the cam member 222 whereby to preventinadvertent displacement of the cam member.

The cam member 222 has a depending finger 227 which is adapted to beengaged by a ange 228 on a bar 229 which is fastened on the link 50 inan adjusted position by a pair of bolts 230, and whereby the cam member222 and the bell crank `221 are rotated clockwise as the slide rod 31and the link 50 move inwardly during the backward movement of thelaybeam in an odd cycle of the loom.

The cam member 222 has a cam surface 231 adapted to be engaged by a pin232 on the arm 136 to rock the bell crank and the cam membercounter-clockwise (i.e. from the position shown in Fig. 6 to theposition shown in Fig. upon a counterclockwise rotation of the rockshaft138.

With the laybeam at front-center and the pilot in the projector box, theslide rod 31 is fully outward (Fig. 5) and the thread 167 is disposeddiagonally across the pilot, as indicated in Fig. ll. In the fullyoutward position of the slide rod 31, the trigger member 144, the link143 and the lever 137 are in their most inward position and thethread-positioner 164 is in raised position above the portion of thethread which extends across the pilot. The high part of the cam 216 islocated opposite the surface 215 on the arm 214 and the threadpositioner 164 is thereby held in elevated position.

As the slide rod 31 and the slide member 51 move inwardly, the cam 52engages the lower end of the arm 54 and initiates a clockwise motion ofthe trigger member 144 and of the rockshaft 13S, thus causing the cam216 to move clockwise from engagement with the arm 214, whereupon thetorsion spring 217 rotates the threadpositioner 164 counterclockwise todepress the thread into the groove of the pilot as shown in Fig. 7 sothat it may be picked up by the trailing gripper 157, Fig. 1l, when thepilot is projected. Upon further movement of the arm 54 as the cam 52continues to move inwardly (Fig. l), the trigger member 144 releases thelatch member 147, whereupon the lever or reduction arm 83 is released toproject the plunger 70 and the pilot.

The pilot picks up the thread which has been depressed and held in thepath of the trailing gripper by the threadpositioner 164 and, as theinward movement of the slide rod 31 and of the link 50 continues, theflange 22S which is carried by the link 50 engages the depending linger227 and rocks the cam member 222 and the bell crank 221 clockwise to theposition shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the pin 220 on the bell crank movesonto the high portion of the cam surface 2 19 on the finger 21S andthereby rocks the shaft 208 clockwise and raises the thread-posi tiener164 from the thread which is running through the pilot box as it isdrawn across the loom by the pilot.

The thread-positioner 164 can not leave its elevated position in respectto the pilot box before the pin 220 is returned from the high portion tothe low portion of the cam surface 219. The pin 220 is returned to thelow portion by displacing the bell crank 221 and the cam member 222counterclockwise (Fig. 6) while the slide rod 31 approaches the end ofits outboard travel during an odd cycle and as the trigger member 144moves counterclockwise to latched or cocked position. On thus moving,the trigger member lpushes the link 143 and rocks the rockshaft 138 andthe arm 136 counterclockwise. The rotation of the arm 136 causes the pin232 to cam the cam member 222 to the position shown in Fig. 5.

'l0 The new position of the rockshaft 1384 and the restored positions ofthe bell crank 221 and of the cam member 222 remain undisturbed for theensuing even cycle (360- 720) during which the raised position of thethreadpositioner 164 is maintained by the cam 216 which is locatedopposite to the surface 215 on the arm 214.

Action of the tripping slide Before the ange 228 strikes the dependingfinger 227 the inward movement of the slide 51 is arrested when it comesinto engagement with the stop 62 at the underside of the pilot box, butthe slide rod 31 and the link 50 continues to move inwardly. On thestopping of the slide, the roller on the screw 34 rides over the hump234 of the cam slot 56 and momentarily nudges the cam 52 upwardly beforeit is moved to its lower position (Fig. 6) as the screw 34 is carriedalong the cam slot 56 by the slide rod 31. The pivoting of the arrestedslide member 51 also lowers the post 58 which causes the link 50 topivot downwardly about the center of the screw 34 to the position shownin Fig. 6 in which the slide member 51 and the cam 52 are in their lowermost position, and the slide rod 31 has reached the end of its inwardstroke with the laybeam at back-center or 180. The slide rod 31 nextmoves outwardly as the laybeam swings forwardly without any change inthe lowered position of the slide member 51 and of the link 50 becausethe absence of the pilot from the box has permitted the pivoted stop 64to be raised by the spring `66 from the path of the flange 55. Duringthis outward movement of the slide rod 31, the raised cooking forkengages the pin 75 on the plunger head and retracts the plunger 7l) andthe reduction arm 83 to cocked position, as explained hereinabove.

During the next even cycle (360-720) the pilot is returned to the pilotbox from the other side of the loom, and the pivoted stop 64 is loweredby the pilot to extend into the path of the flange 55 on the slidemember 51. As the slide rod moves inwardly the slide member 51 and thelink 5t) remain in lowered position, but as the slide rod 31 movesoutwardly, the lowered stop 64 engages the flange 55 and stops the slidemember 51 whereupon the continuing outward mov-ement of the slide rod 31causes the screw 34 and the cam slot 56 to pivot the slide member 51upwardly and locate the cam 52 and the link 5t) in the relativepositions illustrated in Fig. 5 preliminarily to the next projection ofthe pilot in the ensuing odd cycle, as previously explained.

Thread-holding and shearing mechanism The thread-holding and shearingmechanism 169 (Figs. 4, 7, 8 and l2) comprises a non-rotatable shearblade 235 extending forwardly from a shank 236 fastened to the end ofthe pilot box by screws 237, a movable shear blade 238 pivotally mountedon a pin 239 and a spring plate 240 which is yieldably pressed againstthe side of the movable blade remote from the cutting edges of the twoshear blades. The movable blade 238 and the spring plate 240 constituteclamping means which engage a thread before it is cut and hold an end ofthe cut thread until it is picked up by a pilot as will hereinafterappear. The pivot pin 239 has a rivet head at one end and a nut 241(Fig. 3) on its other end. A spring 242 which is located between thespring plate 240 and the nut frictionally restraius the movable bladefrom inadvertent rotation. A pin 243, which is staked to the shank 236,and the pin 239 prevent rotation of the spring plate. The spring plateprovides an edge 244 which extends-beyond thec utting edge of thenon-rotatable blade whereby the thread is gripped and held between themovable blade 238 and the spring plate 24|()` before it is severed. Themovable blade carries an arm 245 by which the blade is pivoted about thepin 239.

The arm 245 is intermittently actuated by a yoke 246 (Fig. 5) attachedtothe rockshaft 138. A fixed guide 247 is provided-to limit theoverthrow of the movable blade. A finger 248 on the yoke actuates themovable blade to thread-holding and cutting positions and a finger 249actuates the movable blade to open the shears. The functioning actionsof the shearing mechanism are coordinated with the rocking movements ofthe rockshaft 138 in opposite directions, as controlled from the arm137, link 143 and the trigger member 144.

Holding and shearing of a thread which has been carried to the righthand projector occurs at the left hand projector during the forwardmovement of the laybeam in an odd cycle of the loom, and as the laybeamapproaches front-center. At this time the laybeam and the pilot boxesare moving in a descending arc, the leading end of the inserted threadis still held by the pilot in the right hand projector and the threadextends from the cloth and through the left hand projector to the supplypackage 168. As the boxes move forwardly and downwardly below and pastthe fell of the cloth, the trailing length of the inserted thread whichextends from the cloth to the pilot box slips along a guide wire 250(Fig. 12) into the open jaws of the shears. The guide wire is fastenedto the gib 141 by a screw 251. This movement of the thread along theguide wire 250 is due to the relative vertical motion of the fell andthe shears caused -by the arc traversed by the laybeam as the reed beatsa weft into the cloth.

The shears are moved to close by the finger 248 on the yoke 246 as therockshaft 138 is rocked counterclockwise close to the end of the forwardmovement of the lay, at which point the shears are forward and levelwith the fell. The cut end 170 of a subsequently-to-be-inserted weft isheld clamped between the spring plate 240 and the blade 238 of theshears and the thread extends from the cut end directly under the gib141 to the guide pin 175 and out of the box. As previously explained,'the rockshaft 138 is rocked counterclockwise (from the position of therockshaft shown in Fig. 6) as the plunger 70 and the reduction arm 83are returned to cocked positions as the laybeam swings forwardly duringan odd cycle. The shears remain closed and the cut end 170 (Fig, 7) isheld between the movable blade 238 and the plate 240 throughout theensuing even cycle during which the trigger member 144 reposes at restand no tripping action occurs. The end 170 is held until the thread ispicked up and pulled from the plate 240 by the trailing gripper 157 onthe pilot when the pilot is projected from the box in the next followingodd cycle, as hereinabove explained in relation to the operation of thetripping mechanism and the projection of the pilot.

While the shears start to open just before the pilot is projected orfired, the end 170 is not released before it is picked up by the pilot.As the rockshaft 138 turns clockwise, the lower finger 249 of the yoke246 moves towards the arm 245 of the movable blade 238, but it does notcontact the arm 245 until after the projecting mechanism is tripped.

Following the departure of the pilot from the pilot box, the outboardend of the tripping slide 51 is nudged upwardly to cause upward movementof the cam 52 and additional upward movement of the finger 249. Thisaction brings the finger into contact with the arm 245 and opens thejaws of the shears. The upward nudge of the cam 52 is produced by thehump 234 on the tripping slide 51 as the slide rod 31 and the roller 57con- Itinue to move inwardly after the tripping slide has been stoppedby the stationary stop 62. The shears remain open until they are closedtoward the end of the same odd cycle.

The release of a weft thread from the pilot The pilot is received in theleft hand pilot box during an even cycle (360-720), as relatedhereinabove, and

`it becomes necessary to release the thread which has been carriedacross the loom (Fig. 13). The release is initiated and completed whilethe rockshaft 138 and the arm 137 are inthe positions illustrated inFig. 14. The release of the thread is accomplished as the laybeam ismoving toward front-center (720) and the slide rod 31 is movingoutwardly.

The thread is released by rocking a gripper-actuating arm 252counterclockwise, Fig, 7, to engage and press the pivoted plate 159 ofthe thread-engaging gripper 156 away from the cooperating hook 158 inthe manner illustrated in Fig. 13. The arm 252 extends from the hollowshaft 212, Fig. 10, and it is offset at its free end to enable entranceinto the groove in the pilot alongside a hook of the gripper. A spring277 around the hollow shaft 212 biases the arm 252 clockwise (Fig. 7)and holds it elevated except when a thread-releasing action occurs. Adouble arm 253 is secured to the hollow shaft 212 by a bolt 254. Thedouble arm carries a pin 255 which passes through an elongated slot 256in a link 257 as best seen in Figs. 14 and 15.

The upper end of link 257 carries a pin 258 to which a pair of springs259 is attached. The other ends of these springs are engaged toa pair ofstirrups 260 which engage the respective ends of the pin 255 whereby theupper end of the elongated slot 256 in the link 257 is yieldably pressedinto engagement with the pin 255.

A lifting of the link 257 causes the arms 252 and 253 to rotateclockwise as indicated in Fig. 14. The tension in the springs 259 issuicient to overcome the torsion spring 277 and cause the arm 252 toeffect engagel ment with and actuation of the gripper plate 159 in thepilot to release the end 261 of a weft as illustrated in Fig. 13. Thesprings 259 provide a yielding force whereby to assure a full opening ofthe gripper.

The link 257 is raised to effect the release of the weft end 261 fromthe gripper whenever its lower end 262 is engaged and lifted by a roller263 on a cam member 264 but this action occurs only once in tworevolutions of the crank, as will presently appear. The cam member 264is mounted on a pivot shaft 265 and it is biased to return to itslowermost position by a torsion spring 266 having one end attached to alimit stop 267. The cam member 264 is raised against the action of thespring 266 each time its lower end is engaged by a finger 268 which isbolted to the end of the slide rod 31 and extends laterally from theslide rod and across the camming edge 269 of the cam member. The cammember is rocked clockwise (Fig. 3) each time the slide` rod 31 movesoutwardly.

An arm 270 is fastened to the front end of the rockshaft 138 and a link271 is pivotally attached to the arm by a pin 272. Link 271 has anelongated slot 273 which is engaged by a pin 274 carried by the lowerend of the link 257. A relatively light spring 275 is attached to thepin 274 and to a stud 276 carried by the link 271. The spring 275 biasesthe pin 274 toward the end of the slot 273 closest to the stud 276, asshown in Figs. 3, 14

land 15.

In Fig. 3, the slide rod 31 is moving inwardly during an odd cycle toeffect a projection of the pilot and the rocksh'aft 138 is close to thelimit of its counterclockwise rotation to the position shown in Fig. 15.The rockshaft remains in this position until it is moved to the positionshown in Fig. 14 by the link 143 and the arm 137 as the plunger 70 isreturned to cocked position towards the end of the odd cycle as thecrank moves to front-center at 360. But before the rockshaft is rockedclockwise from the position shown in Fig. 15, the finger 268 on theoutwardly moving slide rod engages and rocks the cam member 264 andraises the roller 263 alongside of the link 257 where it remains as thefinger 268 is advanced by the slide rod 31 on -to its most outwardposition. As a consequence of the lifting of the roller 263 alongsidelof the link 257, the. spring 275 is extended when the linkI 271 and thearm 270 are actuated by therockshaft 138 and an idle movement of thegripper-opening arm 252 is avoided.

As the laybeam moves hackwardly from front-center (360) during thefollowing even cycle, the s lide rod 31 moves inwardly and permits thecam member 264 to lower, whereupon the spring 275 swings the link 257clockwise as the pin 274 on the link is brought up against the left endof the slot 273 in the link 271.

Weft thread release action As previously explained, the positions of thetrigger member 144, the link 143, the arm 137 and the rockshaft 13Sremain unchanged throughout an even cycle (360- 720) and until aprojection ofthe pilot is initiated inthe next following odd cycle. Inthis unchanged position of the rockshaft 138, the arm 270 is disposed inthe position shown in Fig. 14, so that as the laybeam moves towardfront-center (720) and the slide rod moves outwardly, the lower end ofthe link 257 isdisposed directly above the roller 263. Towards thelatter part of the outward movement of the slide rod 31 the linger 268raises the cam member 264 and the roller 263 raises the link 257. Thelink pivots the arm 253 and the gripper-actuating arm 252 clockwise. Thearm 252 thereupon engages and opens the gripper 156 to release a threadtherefrom as indicated in Fig. 13.

The gripper actuator 252 remains in engagement with the pivoted plate ofthe gripper as the lay reverses at front-center and until shortly afterthe beginning of the next odd cycle when the linger 268 moves from underthe cam member 264. As soon as the restraining effect of the nger 268 onthe cam member 264 is relieved, the weight of the links 257 and 271 andthe torsion spring 277 on the hollow shaft 211 raise thegripper-actuating arm 252 to above the pilot. The arm 252 is raised fromthe gripper in advance of the projection of the pilot from the pilotbox.

Upon release of the pressure of the spring-pressed gripper plate 159 onthe weft end 261 the end is blown beyond the gripper plate towards theshank of the gripper hook 158 by a jet of air from a conduit 278, Fig.10, so that the weft end may run freely from the hook as the laybeam andthe pilot box move with respect to the fell of the cloth.

The operation of the apparatus will be apparent to those i skilled inthe art in view of the foregoing disclosure. The principle of theinvention and the apparatus which is now considered to represent thebest embodiment thereof have been described in accordance with theprovisions of the patent statutes, but it is intended that the apparatusdisclosed be illustrative only in that the invention is susceptible ofembodiment in other forms. While the apparatus is designed to use thevarious features and elements in the combinations and relationshipsdescribed, some of these may be altered and others omitted withoutinterfering with the more general results outlined, and the invention,within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device, said deviceincluding a box for receiving a pilot and means'for projecting a pilotfrom said box, means for releasing a thread from thread-gripping meanson a pilot in said box, means for controlling the operation of saidpilot-projecting means and of said thread-releasing means, saidcontrolling means including a slide rod carrying a member adapted toactuate said pilot-projecting means to elect a projection of a pilotfrom said box as said slide rod moves in one direction and an elementadapted to actuate said thread-releasing means as said slide rod movesin the reverse direction, means for avoiding actuation of saidthread-releasing means by said element during every other reversemovement of said slide rod, and means for reciprocating said 14 sliderod in unisonfwith the reciprocating movements of said laybeam.

2. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device, said deviceincluding a box for receiving a pilot and means for projecting a pilotfrom said box, means for releasing a thread from thread-gripping meanson a pilot in said box, means for operating said pilot-projecting deviceto project a pilot from said box, said operating means including atrigger member, means for controlling the operation of said operatingmeans and of said thread-releasing means, said controlling meansincluding a slide rod carrying a member adapted to actuate saidoperating means and trip -said trigger member to effect a projection ofa piot as said slide rod moves in one direction and an element adaptedto actuate said thread-releasing means as said slide rod moves in thereverse direction, means controlled by said trigger member forpreventing actuation of said threadreleasing means by said elementduring every other reverse movement of said slide rod, and means forreciprocating said slide rod in unison with the reciprocating movementsof said laybeam.

3. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilot box adapted to receive a piothaving releasable threadgripping means, means for operating saidthread-gripping means to release a thread from the pilot, means forprojecting the pilot from said box, means for actuating saidpilot-projecting means, said actuating means including a trigger member,a slide rod and a cam adapted to move said trigger member from astationary holding position of the trigger member to a released positionto effect a projection of said pilot as said slide rod moves inwardlyduring an odd cycle of the loom, means: for restoring said triggermember to holding position as said laybeam moves forwardly during saidodd cycle, means controlled by said trigger member for rendering saidoperating means ineffective to operate said thread-gripping means whilesaid trigger member is in holding position during an even cycle of theloom, and means whereby said slide rod is moved inwardly as said laybeamis moved backwardly and said slide rod is moved outwardly as saidlaybeam is moved forwardly during each cycle of the loom.

4. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including a pilot box and a spring-actuated memberfor projecting a pilot from said box, tripping means including a triggermember for holding and releasing said spring-actuated member, means forengaging and positioning a thread Afor pick-up by a pilot, means adaptedto restrain movement of said thread-positioning means, means connectingbetween said movement-restraining means and said trigger member wherebysaid movement-restraining means prevents said thread-positioning meansfrom positioning a thread for pick-up by the pilot whenever said triggermember is in cocked position, and mechanism controlled by the movementof the laybeam for actuating said tripping means to successively bringabout interdependent actions of said thread-positioning means toposition the thread for pick-up by the pilot and the release of saidspring-actuated member to project the pilot.

5. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including a pilot box and means for projecting apilot from said box, means for laterally positioning a portion of athread disposed across said box toward a pilot in said box for pickupthereby, said thread-positioning means comprising a pivotal arm biasedto engage and move the thread toward the pilot in said box, displaceablemeans adapted to restrain said arm from engaging and moving said thread,said displaceable means including a4 rockshaft` and a member mountedthereon, trigger means 'adapted to hold said projecting device in cockedcondition, means controlled by said trigger means for displacing saidrockshaft and said member to permit said thread-positioning arm toengage a thread and move the engaged thread into position for pick-up bya pilot in said box, and means for releasing said trigger means fromcocked condition.

6. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including a pilot box and a spring-actuated memberfor projecting a pilot from said box, a trigger member for releasingsaid spring-actuated member to project a pilot, means for disposing athread across said pilot box, means for laterally moving a portion ofthe thread toward a pilot in said box for pick-up thereby, saidthread-positioning means including a pivoted arm adapted to engage thethread disposed across said pilot box, means adapted t restrain said armfrom engaging said thread, means actuated by said trigger member formoving said restraining means from a restraining position to a positionwherein said thread-positioning arm is free to engage said thread, meansfor retracting said thread-positioning arm from thread-engagingposition, mechanism for actuating said trigger member and saidarm-retracting means, and means operated in unison with the movement ofsaid laybeam for actuating said mechanism.

7. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including a pilot box and a spring-actuated memberfor projecting a pilot from said box, a trigger member, means controlledby said trigger member for holding and releasing said spring-actuatedmember to project the pilot, means for positioning a thread for pick-upby a pilot, means for restraining movement of said thread-positioningmeans, said restraining means being movable from restraining position toanother position for permitting thread-positioning action of saidthread-positioning means, said restraining means incuding a rockshaft,means connecting between said rockshaft and said trigger member wherebya tripping movement of said trigger member moves said restraining meansfrom restraining position, a bell crank lever having a cammingarrangement operable in conjunction with said thread-positioning meansto withdraw said thread-positioning means from thread-positioningposition, and means adapted to trip said trigger-member to elect therelease of said spring-actuated member for projecting a pilot and toactuate said bell crank to effect withdrawal of said thread-positioningmeans from thread-positioning position.

8. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a .laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including a pilot box and means for projecting apilot from said box, said projecting means comprising a plunger, a leverhaving an arm engaging said plunger and a spring connected to anotherarm of said lever; means for holding said lever in cocked conditionagainst the tension of said spring, said holding means comprising apivoted device engaging said lever, a trigger member for controlling therelease of saidholding means, and means for actuating said triggermember to release said holding means and said pilot-projecting means.

9. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pirotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including .a pilot box and a spring-actuated memberfor projecting a pilot from said box, means for holding and releasingsaid spring-actuated member to project the pilot, said means comprisinga trigger member and a latching device for said spring-actuated member,means for actuating lsaid trigger member, said actuating, meansincluding a lost-motion connection with said trigger member, a tillingthread tensioning device controlled by said actuating means, and meansfor operating said actuating means.

10. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including a pilot box and a spring-actuated memberfor projecting a pilot from said box, latching means for holding saidspring-actuated member in cocked condition, a brake device engageablewith and disengageable from a lling thread, a pivoted member connectedto said brake device for controlling the operation of said device, atrigger member releasably engageable with said latching means, alost-motion connection between said trigger member and said pivotedmember whereby said brake device is actuated to eiect disengagement ofthe filling thread in advance of the release of said latching means uponmovement of said trigger member, and means for actuating said triggermember.

11. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including a pilot box and a spring-actuated memberfor projecting a pilot from said box, means for holding said member,said holding means including a trigger, means controlled by said triggerfor placing a thread in position for pick-up by a pilot, means forapplying tension to a thread being carried by a pilot travelling fromsaid projecting device, means controlled by said trigger for settingsaid threadtensioning mechanism to apply tension to a thread carried bya projected pilot, and mechanism controlled by the movement of thelaybeam for actuating said trigger whereby to effect successively thepositioning of a thread for pick-up by a pilot, the release of saidspring-actuated member to project the pilot, and the application oftension to the thread picked up and carried by the pilot.

l2. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including a pilot box and a spring-actuated memberfor projecting a pilot from said box, a trigger, means controlled bysaid trigger for holding and releasing said spring-actuated member toproject the pilot, clamping means comprising a pair of relativelymovable members adapted to receive a thread therebetween when separatedfrom one another and to clamp the thread therebetween when adjacent oneanother, means for intermittently operating said movable members intoadjacent relationship for clamping a thread and into separatedrelationship, means connecting between said operating means and saidtrigger, means for moving said trigger in one direction to effect theprojection of a pilot from said projecting device and the separation ofsaid members, and means for moving said trigger in the oppositedirection to effect cocking of said trigger and a clamping movement ofsaid clamping means.

13. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including a pilot box and a spring-actuated memberfor projecting a pilot from said box, aV trigger means controlled bysaid trigger for holding and releasing said spring-actuated member toproject the pilot, clamping means for engaging and holdinga illingthread which has been inserted by a pilot projected from said-device,means for actuating said clamping means,said actuating means including arockshaft and a yoke member having an arm for actuating said clampingmeans to clamp a thread and a second arm for actuating said clampingmeans to open position, means for cocking said trigger, means fortripping said trigger, and means connecting between said rockshaft andsaid trigger whereby upon movement of said trigger in one direction,said rockshaft and yoke are moved to actuate said clamping means toengage and hold a thread and upon reverse movement of said trigger, saidrockshaft and yoke move to open said clamping means.

14. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including a pilot box and a spring-actuated memberfor projecting a pilot from said box, a trigger means controlled by saidtrigger for holding and releasing said spring-actuated member to projectthe pilot, shearing means for cutting a filling thread which has beeninserted by a pilot projected from said device, means adapted to holdsaid shearing means either in an open position to receive a thread or ina closed position, means controlled by said trigger for intermittentlyactuating said shearing means to close on a thread and to open, meansfor actuating said trigger to effect the projection of a pilot from saidprojecting device and the opening ot said shearing means, and means formoving said trigger to cock said trigger and etect a closing movement ofsaid shearing means.

15. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including a pilot box and a spring-actuated memberfor projecting a pilot from said box, a trigger, means controlled bysaid trigger for holding and releasing said spring-actuated member toproject the pilot, shearing means for cutting a :filling thread whichhas been inserted by a pilot projected from said device, said shearingmeans comprising a iixed blade, a spring plate, and a pivoted bladebetween said iixed blade and said spring plate and arranged to clamp athread between the pivoted blade and the spring plate as the pivotedblade is moved to cut the thread; means adapted to hold said pivotedblade either in an open position with respect to said xed blade or in aclosed position, means controlled by said trigger for intermittentlyactuating said pivoted blade to close said shearing means upon movementof said trigger in one direction and to open said shearing means uponmovement of said trigger in another direction, said last-named meanscomprising a rockshaft and members for actuating said pivoted blade inopposite directions, and means connecting between said rockshaft andsaid trigger whereby movements of said trigger control the closing andopening movements of said shearing means.

16. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting mechanism mounted onsaid laybeam, said mechanism including a pilot box and a spring-actuatedmember for projecting a pilot from said box, means for clamping afilling thread until it has been picked up by a pilot projected by saidprojecting mechanism, said clamping means comprising a pair ofrelatively movable members adapted to receive a thread therebetweeenwhen separated from one another and to clamp the thread when adjacentone another, and means for actuating said projecting mechanism to effectthe projection of a pilot from said box, said last-named means includinga slide rod and a slide member having a camming pin-and-slot connectiontherebetween which controls the movement of said 18 slide member withrespect to said slide rod to effect the opening of aid clamping mean,said camming pin-and-slot connection construction and arranged to delaythe opening of said thread-clamping means until a pilot is projected andhas picked up the thread clamped by said clamping means.

17. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting mechanism mounted onsaid laybeam, said mechanism including a pilot box and a spring-actuatedmember for projecting a pilot from said box, means for clamping a lingthread until it has been picked up by a pilot projected by saidprojecting mechanism, said clamping meansicomprising a pair ofrelatively movable members adapted to receive a thread therebetween whenseparated from one another and to clamp the thread when adjacent oneanother, means for releasing said spring-actuated member from an initialposition to project the pilot, a yoke for opening and closing saidclamping means, means controlled by said releasing means for operatingsaid yoke, means for actuating said releasing means to release saidspring-actuated member to project a pilot, said last-named meansincluding a slide rod and a slide member having a camming pin-and-slotcam connection therebetween so constructed and arranged to eect theopening of said thread-clamping means after said releasing means hasreleased said spring-actuated member t0 project the pilot, and means forrestoring said releasing means and said spring-actuated member to theirinitial positions, said last-named means also operating said yoke toclose said clamping means.

18. In a loom having mechanism for reciprocating a laybeam, thecombination comprising a laybeam, a pilotprojecting device on saidlaybeam, said device including a pilot box and a spring-actuated memberfor projecting -a pilot from said box, a pilot contained in said box,said pilot having thread-gripping means adjacent each end of saidpilot,v each of said thread-gripping means comprising a hook secured tosaid pilot and having an open end pointing away from the end of saidpilot closest to the hook, and a plate engaging the underside of saidhook, means for positioning a thread in advance of the open end of oneof said gripping means for engagement between the hook and platethereof, said thread-positioning means comprising a pivoted memberhaving a pair of spaced-apart blades adapted to pass along at eitherside of said hooking element as the pilot is projected from said box,and means for moving said member toward said pilot to position a threadin advance of said hook for pick-up.

References Cited in the le of this patent` UNITED STATES PATENTS1,564,603 Martin Dec. 8, 1925 2,589,429 Pfarrwaller Mar. 18, 19522,785,701 Dunham Mar. 19, 1957 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATIUNO1 CGRRECTION Patent No. 2,971,540 February 14, 1961 George W, DugggemIt is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and 'that the said Letters Patent should read'ascorrected below.

Column 1, lines 69 and 70, for. "correspondingly" read correspondingcolumn 7 line 59, for "threadbreafging` read thread-braking column 16,line 60, and Column 17, line 5, after "trigger", each occurrence, inserta comma; column 18, line 2, for Y"aid" read m said Q line 3, for"construction" read constructed 4same Column 18, line 50l after"pick-up" insert by said hook Signed and sealed this 15th day of August1961 (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID LELADD Attesting Ufficer Commissioner of Patents

